VORTEX HYDROTURBINE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE VORTEX HYDROTURBINE

Abstract

A vortex hydroturbine includes a tank to be filled with a liquid, such as water. At least one turbine circulates the liquid within the tank and produces a vortex. A central turbine is driven by the circulating liquid and an electric generator is driven by the central turbine for producing electricity to be supplied to a load. A method for operating a vortex hydroturbine is also provided.

Claims

1. A vortex hydroturbine, comprising: a tank to be filled with a liquid; at least one turbine for circulating the liquid within said tank; a central turbine to be driven by the circulating liquid; and an electric generator to be driven by said central turbine for producing electricity.

2. The vortex hydroturbine according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is water supplied to said tank by at least one of a reservoir, a vehicle or a municipal water supply.

3. The vortex hydroturbine according to claim 2, which further comprises an inlet pipe having a pump for feeding the water to said tank.

4. The vortex hydroturbine according to claim 1, wherein said at least one turbine is a plurality of turbines creating a vortex in the liquid in said tank.

5. The vortex hydroturbine according to claim 1, which further comprises a shaft interconnecting said central turbine and said electric generator.

6. The vortex hydroturbine according to claim 1, which further comprises a capacitor to be charged by the electricity produced by said electric generator.

7. The vortex hydroturbine according to claim 1, which further comprises a crossover switch for connecting said electric generator to a municipal power line.

8. The vortex hydroturbine according to claim 1, which further comprises a cabinet on which said tank stands, said electric generator being disposed within said cabinet.

9. The vortex hydroturbine according to claim 8, which further comprises a collar disposed between said cabinet and said tank.

10. The vortex hydroturbine according to claim 9, which further comprises a ladder disposed adjacent said cabinet for providing access to said tank.

11. The vortex hydroturbine according to claim 1, wherein said tank is frustoconical, said tank has a bottom and a top having a larger diameter than said bottom, and said central turbine is disposed on said bottom.

12. A method for operating a vortex hydroturbine, the method comprising the following steps: filling a tank with a liquid; using at least one turbine to circulate the liquid within the tank; using the circulating liquid to drive a central turbine; and using the central turbine to drive an electric generator for producing electricity.

13. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises providing the tank with a frustoconical shape, a bottom and a top having a larger diameter than the bottom, and placing the central turbine on the bottom to facilitate formation of a vortex in the tank.

14. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises supplying the liquid to the tank in the form of water from at least one of a reservoir, a vehicle or a municipal water supply.

15. The method according to claim 14, which further comprises feeding the water to the tank through an inlet pipe having a pump.

16. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises charging a capacitor with the electricity produced by the electric generator.

17. The method according to claim 12, which further comprises using a crossover switch to connect the electric generator to a municipal power line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of the vortex hydroturbine according to the invention; and

[0020] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal-section view of the vortex hydroturbine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is tank 1 having a frustoconical shape in which the wider end of the frustrum of the cone is at the top. The tank has an open top 2 and a closed bottom 4, although the top may be closed by a non-illustrated cover to prevent evaporation. The bottom 4 of the tank 1 rests on the upper surface 9 of a collar 11, which in turn rests within a recess 12 in the upper surface 13 of a machine cabinet 14. A ladder 17 (seen in FIG. 2) permits access to the tank.

[0022] A plurality of vortex turbines or fans 6 is located on the bottom 4 of the tank 1. The tank 1 is filled with a liquid 8 which is set in a circular motion indicated by arrows 10 by the force of the turbines 6 creating a vortex in the liquid. The frustoconical shape of the tank and the location of the central turbine on the bottom facilitate the development of the vortex.

[0023] The liquid 8 may be water derived from one or more of three possible sources. The first source 3 is water from a roof, a cistern or a reservoir. The second source 5 is water from water trucks brought near the tank. The third source 7 is water from a municipal water supply. If the water source is located at a higher level above the ground than the top 2 of the tank 1, the water will fill the tank by gravity. If the water source is under pressure, it will be fed into the tank by the water pressure. The water from one or more of these three sources is fed to the top of the tank 1 by an inlet pipe 16, which is provided with a pump 18 to be used if gravity or water pressure are not available or insufficient to fill the tank.

[0024] The circular motion 10 of the water 8 in the tank 1 turns a central turbine 20 within the tank 1. The central turbine 20 is connected though a shaft 22, which passes through the collar 11, to a generator 24 located in the cabinet 14 that stands on the ground 15, as is best seen in FIG. 2. The generator 24 produces electrical energy which may be stored in a capacitor 26 if the supply of electrical energy exceeds the demand at any given time. The capacitor 26 may be connected directly to a load or consumers or through a generator crossover or transfer switch 28 and through a panel box 29 to the electrical mains or city or municipal power line for providing electrical power to the load or consumers. The load or consumers may be residential or commercial facilities or municipal facilities such as lighting for streets and parks.